Fire alarm devices



Dec. 23, 1958 A. THIEMANN 2,865,320

FIRE ALARM DEVICES Filed July 9, 195a IAYA rm m1 4| A, IO 29 INVENTOR. Albert Thiemonn A TTORNE Y.

States Patent FIRE ALARM DEVICES Albert Thiernann, Astoria, N. Y.

Application July 9, 1956, Serial No. 596,671

4 Claims. (Cl. 116-106) This invention relates to fire alarm devices and more particularly to self-contained whistle devices which may be disposed in zones which are liable to become overheated.

An object of the invention is to provide such a device which will give a loud shrill warning of appreciable duration and yet occupy a small space.

Another object is to provide such a device which is rugged and is not damaged by accidental upsetting.

Another object is to provide such a device that will operate for appreciable duration, say of the order of five minutes, and yet need not be constructed from heavy materials nor use gases under excessively high pressure.

Compressed gas to actuate a whistle is not generally satisfactory when no supplemental supply is available since the pressure drops substantially with use of the gas.

Instead of compressed gas, I employ a readily vaporized liquid such as CCl F known to the trade as Freon 12. The saturated vapor over the liquid is confined by a cylinder having an outlet plugged by alloy melting at about 134 F. Pressure at this temperature is less than 200 lbs. p. s. i. g. Moreover, the velocity of the issuing jet of vapor is sufficient to have an injector action on the surrounding air so that the combined vapor and air operate the whistle.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, two of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a front elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the device of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed front elevation of the whistle and a mount therefor.

Pig. 4 is a perspective of the whistle mount.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of the whistle and another form of the mount, and

Fig. 6 is a diametric sectional view of the mount of Fig. 5.

The fire alarm device as shown in Fig. 2 comprises a fluid-tight cylindrical container 10 having an upper end 11 provided with an aperture 12. A bushing 14 is disposed in the aperture and is provided with a threaded hole 15 therethrough for mounting therein a fitting or threaded member 16 having a shank 18 provided with external threads 20 and a head 21 having an end face 22 and engagement side faces 24 for engagement by a wrench. The Whole structure is gas-tight. The fitting or threaded memher is provided with a longitudinal bore 25 therethrough and carries a U member 26 of strip material having a yoke part 23 and long and short arms 29 and 30, the yoke part being secured gas tight to the end face and having a hole 31 therethrough in alinement with the bore. A plug 32 of fusible metal seals the hole.

A cylindrically shaped whistle 34, axially alined with the container and bore, is mounted between and on said arms; the longer arm extends beyond the whistle and has an end portion 35 provided with an opening 36 therethrough for hanging the device in pending position. The

whistle has a lower end portion 38 spaced as at 37 from the yoke and plug to permit ambient air access thereto and has an upper conical concave recess 39 axially alined with the bore. The upper end portion of the whistle is provided with a bore chamber 40 axially askew with the whistle, forming a lip 41 and a straight wind duct 42 askew of the whistle axis substantially along the line from the apex of the recess to the lip. Ears 44 may be provided on the yoke and bent over opposite side faces of the head and screws 45 used for holding the ears and member on I the head, as well as the whistle or the member.

The U member may be secured to the screw head by silver solder.

In another form of the invention, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, instead of using the U member for mounting the whistle I employ a fitting 16 having a modified head 21'. The head 21 has a cup-like recess 46 in the top face and axially alined with the bore 25' similar to the bore 25 of the fitting 16. Here the fusible plug 32 is in the bore 25' at the recess and the inner walls of the recess are provided with threads .48 and the head 21 provided with vents 49 passing through from the side faces to the interior of the recess. A suspension member 50 may be attached to the fitting or may be omitted as in Fig. 6. The whistle is as in Fig. 2 except it has its lower portion 38' provided with threads 51 engaged fast in the cup-like recess and above the vents.

In either form of the invention the container 10 is partially filled with a highly volatile non-combustible liquid 52 such as CCl F known in the trade as Freon 12, and its vapor is held against evaporation by the fusible plug 32. In one sample of my invention this plug melts .at about 134 F., the temperature corresponding to the Freon pressure of about 200 lbs. p. s. i. gage. The relatively heavy Freon vapor issues forth through the bore 25' or hole 31 and works as an injector for carrying air, along with the vapor, into the Whistle causing a Warning sound.

The invention claimed is:

1. A fire alarm device comprising a cylindrical container for volatile liquid having a top and provided with an opening; a fitting mounted gastight in the opening and provided with a bore therethrough and having a head; a whistle mounted fast with respect to the head and of cylindrical shape and axially alined with the container, and having a wind duct and chamber bore both axially askew to the whistle, and a fusible plug over the bore for preventing vapor to issue therefrom.

2. A fire alarm device comprising a cylindrical container for volatile liquid having a top and provided with an opening; a fitting mounted gas-tight in the opening and provided with a bore therethrough and having a head; a whistle mounted fast with respect to the head and of cylindrical shape and axially alined with the container, and having a Wind duct and chamber bore both axially askew to the Whistle, and a fusible plug over the bore for preventing vapor to issue therefrom; the plug being exposed to the atmosphere.

3. A fire alarm device comprising a fluid-tight cylindrical container having an upper end provided with an aperture; a bushing in the aperture and having a threaded hole therethrough; a fitting having a shank provided with external threads and a head having an end face and engagement side faces for engagement by a wrench; the fitting being provided with a longitudinal bore there through; said head having a cup-like recess in the top face and axially aligned with the bore; a fusible plug in the bore at the recess; the inner walls of the recess being provided with threads and the head provided with vents passing through from the side faces to the interior of the recess: and a whistle of cylindrical shape and having a lower 'end portion provided with threads and engaged fast in the cup-like recess and above the vents,.the lower end portion having an open conical concave recess axially alined with the bore; the whistle having an upper end portion provided with a bore chamber axially askew with the whistle forming a lip, with a straight wind duct substantially along the line from apex of the recess to the lip. 4. A fire alarm device comprising a fluid-tight cylindrical container having an upper end provided with an aperture; a bushing in the aperture and having a threaded hole therethrough; a fitting having a shank provided with external threads and a head having an end face and engagement side faces for engagement by a wrench; the fitting being provided with a longitudinal bore therethrough; a- U member of strip material having a yoke part and long and short arms, the yoke part being secured gas-tight to the end face and having a hole therethrough in'alinement with the bore; a plug of fusible metal sealing the hole; a straight cylindrically shaped whistle axially alined with the bore and mounted between and on said arms, the longer arm extending beyond the whistle and having an end portion provided with an opening therethrough for hanging the device in pending position; the whistle having a lower end portion spaced from the yoke and plug to permit ambient air access thereto; the lower end portion having a conical concave recess axially alined with the bore; the whistle having an upper end portion provided with a bore chamber axially askew with the whistle forming a lip and a straight wind duct substantially along the line from apex of the recess to the lip; ears on the yoke over opposite side faces of the head, and means holding the ears on the head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Messick Ian. 16, 1957 

